The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-14
COMMON THINGS In EUROPE
The Streets Are Clean and the Dust Is
Kept Down by the Fire Department.
The Railways and the Careful System on
Which They Are Manageable Comforts
and Conveniences of Continental Hotels.

| about Brussels and also in Cologne, as well as
observations in other cities of more or less pre-
tension, can but impress an American visitor
| with the great difference between business
architecture here and at home With us there
is no business architecture whatever; except that
| latterly the architects in New YORK and Boston
| have been applying the aesthetics of their art to
| commercial structures. The rule is universal in
| America to make every business house larger
| or smaller warehouse. square, with so many
doors and windows. To great extent this is
true of England; but in continental cities all the
| variety, and beauty, and convenience,
| as WELL which the art of architecture will COM
mand, are made the servant of business. so that
| TO drive through of the principal boulevards,
| you will be pleasantly impressed with the great
| variety and real beauty there are in the shops
or stores. the banks and the magazns. Another
| feature is the scrupulous cleanliness of the
| streets This is thing of beauty and joy for
| ever to one who comes from where the streets
| are the dumping place of all manner of debris
aud even of filth Here dirt is not permitted to
remain on the streets instant. Lads or men
with dust-brooms and pans or small carts, dart
out from every the moment shy dirt
falls, and it is whisked out of sight in instant
| This is true of London, and some other English
| cities have seen. Here. Also they sprinkle the
| streets, and they do it from the fre-plues. It
| might possibly pay Indianapolis to send Chief
Webster over to Brussels, say, and let him
| the plan in operation so long advocated by the
| Journal He might receive access of infor-
| nation, but whether that would alter his opinion
| is doubtful When saw the plugs put to this
| use / nvo.untarily shuddered and listened for
| the fire alarm but no clangor of bells assaulted
| my ear. All went on just as usual, and there
nHoo~ was
dicted would imm ediately occur in Indianapolis
were our plugs put to a similar use, and a corps
organized for street sprinkling under the aus
pces of the fire department.
One other feature is very prominent, and that
is the uniform feature. Here we have the state
for everything. Men in uniform-military uni
form, not inrocuous blue and gray as with us,
but staring soldier clothes-are at every hand.
The police wear short swords instead Of maces.
The postal service is a military basis, and the
railway service we'll. That the service is
promptly and accurately done cannot be ques-
toned, but the effect of so much military pomp
and circumstance may well be doubted. It
would seem to me to breed class distinctions
the hauteur of aristoracy the one hand and
the servility of peonage on the other, with now
and then a revolving spirit of fierce social
democracy. That such is the effect is very plain.
especially the shop classes, to the man in uni
form, strutting like a peacock and pulled out
like pouter pigeon. He may be only lieu
tenant of police but a general could not put OF
many airs command respectful atten-
ton. The postal people have their special
riages and drivers, and there is a sense Of being
booted and spurred to ride common folk. even in
the young boys who are mere apprentices in
some of the many governmental bureaus. If
the hair parted in e-middle, cigarette-smoking
theory of civil-servce reform is intended will
result in importing continental bureaucracy to
America you may count me out It is a thing to
be Stunned and abhorred, except it is desired to
have the state put its wing every thing and
everybody, like great old hen.
The railways and the system attract attention.
Except in Switzerland, where the carriage is
modelled somewhat after the American plan,
a railway train is real curl
osity. The engines are both smaller and
clumsier-lookng than with US, but. thank
goodness, they have not the everlasting.
perating bell. The carriages much
smaller. They are divided into three compart-
ments, each one of which has two benches
facing each other, that will hold five, so that a
carriage contains about thirty passengers The
engine driver, stoker and guard, the latter sit.
ting in the luggage van, combine the crew OF
passenger train. Each station has its porters,
who open the doors. Object the seating Of the
passengers, and then close the coops again. the
ticket collector in the meantime having inspected
your ticket or billet" These are given mp at
the last stopping place before your destination.
In some places on the continent there is the
'contre mark" system, answering to our con-
ductors' checks. AS to luggage. there is little
difference from the American system, except that
49, hair sho IL bo
claimed oftener and thus there is an appearance
of trouble. You don't ride by the day week here.
and check your baggage accordingly. and thus
dismiss it from your mind. You travel by the
hour, and luggage is constantly before you and
to be looked after; but when it is registered"
and you have the certificate. which answers to
our check "brass," the railway company is
responsible for it until they deliver it to you.
You have to ''check" your luggage and tclaim"
it in America you do here; the only difference
l can see is the larger number of times you have
to go through the operation. It should be added
that all luggage is weighed and paid for here
except in very few localities and that trouble
and annoyance is thing of especa. exaspera-
ton to Americans. Hand luggage can be taken
into the cars, and il you compress yourself
into a bag and small shawl-strap. SO much the
better. But in any event the propriety of re-
duclng your lmpedlmenta TO the lowest quantity,
both in number and weight of packages, is evil
dent. However if you have a trunk, you "reg-
lister" it instead of check" it, and receive
piece of paper in lieu of .brass" as with
The hghtness of the trucks and the fewer
number of wheels under the coaches can be &C.
counted for possibly by the less weight they
carry and the superior quality of the road-bed.
In England the rails not merely fastened to
the ties by spikes; they set in heavy car
riages and these spiked with four spikes to
the ties. There are eight of these carriages to
the rail- besides the fish joints and the joints al
ternate with either side. elballasted as the
roads here are. this system of construction makes
a perfectly solid bed and track. On the continent